


Fantasy

by Aida



Series: 30 Day AU Challenge [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: 30 Day AU Challenge, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fantasy as in Fantasy MMORPG, Gen, SO ORIGINAL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 07:17:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/884502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aida/pseuds/Aida
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oakenshield just wants BarrelRider to hurry up so he can take his stress out on computer-generated enemies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fantasy

**Author's Note:**

> So there's a little thing going around called the "30 Day AU Challenge". I've been sitting on it for a while, and so I've decided, what the hell, I'll do it!
> 
> First one's fantasy, and I had a hard time thinking of something up. Eventually, I settled for the "characters play MMORPG and all the fun ensues". Nooot the best, but hopefully the next one will be better. :)

“Where the hell is BarrelRider?”

“I don’t know! He signed in a while ago!”

Thorin had to fight the urge to smash his fist into his keyboard. He had a long, trying day. From having to wake up early to take his nephews to school, to said nephews getting sick in his car some time later. From his boss trying to get him to work weekends when he couldn’t afford it, to having said boss get puked on when he tried to harass him in front of his nephews when he needed to get something from his desk. All of that, plus no coffee left for a very grumpy Oakenshield.

At least he finally managed to by Orcrist with his points. Something he had been dying for ever since they advertised it in his email weeks ago. Now all he needed was his whole company together for some good old-fashioned raiding…

… Except one of their most important members hadn’t joined their group yet. 

He was loathed to admit it, but BarrelRider, despite his low level, was quite valuable. He knew where to go for the best loot and where the enemies were just strong enough for large amounts of experience points, but easy enough to kill. He had heard rumors that the only reason that user knew so much was because he knew one of the developers, but he found that highly unlikely. 

Grasper_Keeper, their “strong arm”, opened up a private chat with Thorin, and he rubbed his eyes at the line of text he sent him.

“Maybe we should continue on without him? Clearly, he found something more important to do.”

Thorin was tempted to agree with him. He was never a big fan of BarrelRider to begin with, only allowing him to join their company in the first place because MattockManiac063 practically begged them to do so. But they tried that once, and failed miserably. Thorin’s stores still hadn’t recovered. 

But they could. They were planning on going somewhere where the campaign was a guaranteed success. Surely they could do without BarrelRider this time.

Just as Thorin was about to say so, another message popped up on the screen.

_BarrelRider has joined The Company_.

“Fucking finally.” Thorin groused as he saw that familiar avatar rush towards them.

“Sorry I’m late!” BarrelRider’s message read. “Was just picking something up.”

He blinked, eyes narrowing, for BarrelRider had a new weapon. Very new. 

He knew that weapon. Had seen it whenever he’d check Orcrist’s price to compare it to what he had already saved up. But there was _no_ way he could’ve afforded it!

“Is that STING!?!?!” MattockManiac063 typed out.

“Yep! :) Just managed to afford it!”

Thorin blinked as MattockManiac063 did what he typically would when someone had something new and coveted, keysmashing several lines of text and receiving a few “LOL!!!”s for his troubles. 

“How the hell did you manage that?” Thorin couldn’t help but type out. 

“Same way you managed to get Orcrist, Oakenshield.” BarrelRider replied. “Lots of time, patience, and raids.”

He couldn’t help but snort, because that really _was_ what he did. He wouldn’t let BarrelRider know that it amused him, though.

“Very well.” He typed out. “Shall we head out?”

“Yes!!!”

“FINALLY.”

As their group continued to respond in affirmatives, BarrelRider turned and began walking in the opposite direction than what he had planned.

“Where are you going???” He asked.

“Heading for our mission.” BarrelRider responded. 

“That’s not where it is!”

“We aren’t headed for Lonely Mountain today???”

“WE are. We have no idea where YOUR going.” 

“It’s YOU’RE.” Thorin cringed. BarrelRider was always a grammar-nazi. “And we have to take the route through Mirkwood to get there.”

“No we don’t!” He countered, because he actually looked over the map this time. “The other way’s faster, and we won’t have to deal with the ELVES.”

It was no secret that Thorin hated the Elf race. It seemed that the only people who selected them were just a bunch of pompous ninnies who were too scared to face enemies head on, sticking to arrows and long-range weaponry.

But BarrelRider, it seemed, would not be swayed.

“Oh yes, fine. Let’s not walk through where elf players spawn, and instead deal with the swarm of spiders that sit in the route you’re clearly planning on taking. Do you want to deal with spiders? Do you? After last time?”

Thorin frowned, thinking of his own inventory. How low it still was after the catastrophic mission to deal with the goblins. 

“Fine.” He conceded as the Company also voiced their own agreements. “But we are NOT stopping when RandyThrandy tries to talk to us!”

“He’s not that bad!”

“He’s a N00B!’”

“No need to get nasty! And he’s been playing this for WAY longer than any of us have. He’s NOT a N00B. Now quit your l33t speak and let’s go!”

Thorin grumbled, even as he moved to follow in step with BarrelRider’s avatar, though his race was much faster than Thorin’s own selection. 

As they left the town in which they spawned, Thorin easily tilting the camera around to make sure the others were following, he blinked when another private chat window opened up. It was easy to lift his hand and click it open, seeing that BarrelRider still wasn’t done talking with him.

“BTW Nice sword. ;)”

Thorin was a grown man, so he certainly did _not_ blush at the innuendo. 

And if he sent off a simple “Ditto”, it was nobody’s business but his own.

**Author's Note:**

> Up next: Highschool.
> 
> Oo, I think I'll have fun with this one!


End file.
